Ball actuated toy



S. L. LONG BALL ACTUATED TOY Jan.13,194s.

Filed Allg. 29, 1945 Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE6 Claims.

My present invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to a toy inwhich a plurality of actions successively take place during each cycleof operation of the toy, and in which the cycles are successively andautomatically repeated a predetermined number of times.

The principal object of this invention is to provide upper and lowerball runways and for successively and automatically transferring aplurality of balls on the upper runway to the lower runway.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the followingdescription, reference being had to the drawings.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the noveldevices and combination of devices hereinafter described and defined inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention, some parts being brokenaway and sectioned and other parts shown in diierent positions by meansof broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views partly in plan and partly in section taken onthe lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1, respectively; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the frame in its lowermostposition, with the inanimate iigure in the same relative position asshown in Fig. 1.

The improved toy includes two laterally spaced duplicate side members 5having the delineation of an ox A. These side members 5 are rigidlyconnected in the body of the ox A by upper and lower horizontallydisposed bars 6 and 1, respectively. The upper edges of the side members5 are forwardly and downwardly inclined to aord an upper ball runway 8.The horns 9 oi' the ox A project forwardly and form continuation of therunway 8. Said horns 9, at their outer ends, are upwardly curved to forma ball barrier I0 at the low end of the runway 8. The horns 9 at theirouter end portions are connected by a pin 9a and a spacing sleeve 9b. Itis important to n-ote that the bar 6 terminates short of the horns 9 toleave a passageway II between said horns.

The rear end portion of the bar 6 extends rearwardly of the ox A and isbifurcated to afford a pair of prongs 2. The tail I 3 of the ox Aextends between the prongs |2 and is pivoted thereto .at

A lower inclined ball runway |5, comprising a front section I8 and arear section 1, extends longitudinally of the ox A in the same verticalplane as the runway 8. The front runway section I6 is straddled by theox A and rigidly se- 'cured to the legs I8 of said ox and supportedthereby. The runway sections I6 and I'I are detachably connected by acoupling I9. The runway I5 is reversely inclined relative to the runway8. It will be noted that the runway section 1 is narrower than thesection I 6 and can be stored or packed therein. In the front end of therunway section I6 is a ball-dellecting block 20 and the rear end of thesection |1 is closed.

A horizontally disposed rectangular frame 2| is fulcrumed1 on the oxArfor oscillatory movement in a vertical plane. This frame 2 I, in whichthe ox A stands, comprises a pair of long bars 22 rigidly connected by afront block 23 and a rear block 24. The bars 22 are intermediatelypivoted on the outer end portions of a pin 25 that extends transverselythrough the side members 5 and the bar 1.

In the outer face -of the rear block 24 is a guide notch 26 in which thetail I3 extends. Said tail I3 is yieldingly held against the block 24 bythe force of gravity.

A member 2'I, simulating a man B, is supported between and on the bars22, forward of the front block 23, by a pin 28 for pivotal movement.Spacing sleeves 29 on the pin 28 keep the man B centered between thebars 22. The pivotal connection between the man B and the bars 22 andthe preponderance of the weight of said man is such as to tend to tiltthe man B backwardly against an adjustable stop 30. This stop 30, asshown, is a screw in the front block 23.

On the head of the man B is a cap 3| in the form of an inverted wedge,the edge of which extends transversely of the runway 8. The arms 32 ofthe man B are out-stretched for carrying a ball, as will presentlyappear. When the frame 2|, with the man B engaging the stop 38, is inits lowermost position, the upper edges of his arms 32 are slightlyoutwardly and downwardly inclined. Heels 33 on the man B engage theblock 23, when said man is positioned as shown by 3 as shown, comprisesa receptacle 35 having therein shot or other heavy pellets 36. A cork 31affords a closure for the receptacle 35. The receptacle 35 is securedbetween the bars 22 close to the block 24.

When a ball is deposited on the arms 32 of the man B, the preponderanceof weight is shifted on the frame 2| and thereby oscillates said frame,which lowers the man B and raises the rear end portion of the frame 2 I,as shown by broken lines in Fig. 1. In this position of the frame 2|,the same is automatically held by a tooth 38 on the tail I3 and whichtooth projects under the block 24. This prevents return movement of theframe 2| under the action of the weight A3II vwhenith'e ball rolls fromthe arms 32 of the man B.

For operating the toy, a plurality of balls 39, preferably but notnecessarily colored glass :marbles, are placed on the runway 8 with theforemost held by the .barrier IfIl. At this time the frame 2| is beinglheldby the tooth 38, :asshown by .broken lines in Fig. l, .and the mani13 .is .in engagement with the :stop y3l). To start operation of thetoy, the tail I3 .is manually moved to withdraw the `tooth 38 from:under the .block 22|. The weight 34 then oscillates the frameZI whichlifts .the -man fB .and .projects .the .upper .portion of `his .bodythrough the Vpassageway f| I. As the man .-B moves Aupwardly in thev.passageway his wedge-shaped .cap Y.3| `enters between vthe twoforemost `balls ,39 and lifts Vthe foremost ball -39 over Vthe barrierIl) vwhen :itdrops ionto .the arms 32. It is highly important to notethat Vthe hall 39 .on the arms .32 .is back Aof dead center relative toavertical -line .passing through Vtheaxisof the pin'Se. The bal139 onthearms 32 is held'from rolling Yby said ,arms which are 4upwardlyinclined and .the body of the man .B. .As -the 4ball 39drops{on the`ar.ms-32, .it overcomes the action ofthe weight 34, voscillates theframe 2I which,

in turn, lowers -the man B. When the 1frame 2I reaches its lowermostposition, the ball 39 rolls outwardly on -the arms 32, as shown .in-Fig. 5 fromapositionback of dead -center to a position forwardlythereof. This movement of :the .bal-l 39 on the arms 32 shifts thepreponderance Iof weight which rocks the :man B forwardly into a.position `in -which his larms 32 are downwardly inclined at asharpangle, and-said ball rolls therefromanddropsonto the deflectingblockl. From the block 2B, ythe ball 39 rolls into a runway I5 anddownwardly therein. .During the .rolling of the .ball 39 .in the runwayd5, it-strikes Ythe 4lower end .of the tail I3 and swings the sameoutwardly. This movement-of the tail .I 3 withdraws the tooth 38 fromunder Ythe block ,24 and again releases the frame 2| vto .repeat thefirst cycle of the operation .of .the toy just described.

At `the -time .the ball 39 rolls from ythe arms 32, the .preponderanceof weight is again `shi-fated and the .man 21 rocks backwardly intonormal rposition in which .he .engages the stop 39, 'as yshown in Fig.5, and .of course, with the ball 39. It will thus be .seen that from`the time the bal-1 39 rolls from the arms 32 and .the man 2l' resumeshis normal position, .there is no action in the toy., until the rolling-ball `.'52 tri-ps the tail I3 which releases the frame 2| .and startsthe next `cycle of operation,

The cycle of operation of the toy is .successively and automaticallyrepeated until all Yof the balls 39 have been removed from the upperrunway 'I and deposited in the lower runway I5. The balls 39, as theyare stopped in .the lower :end of the runway I5, may be manuallyreplaced on the runway 8 so that the toy may be automatically operatedas long as desired.

Obviously, from the time a ball 39 is deposited in the runway I5 untilit reaches the tail I3 and trips the same, there is no action in the toywhatsoever.

From what has been said, it will be understood that the toy described iscapable of modications as ito details 'of construction and arrangementwith'inthescope of Nthe invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

.11. In Ia toy of the class described, upper and -lower inclinedrunways, balls on the upper runway, ,saidupper runway having at its lowend aball barrier, a carrier, means mounting the carrier for oscillatorymovement between the low end-of the upper runway and the high end of thelower runway, and a variable weight for operating .said .means to .liftthe carrier, said carrier being vconstructed and `arranged to lift .thevforemost 'hall on the upper runway over the barrier during its .upwardmovement, and catch and hold said ball, `the weight of .thefballheld bythe carrier being suiiicient to operate said means and lower thecarrier, said .carrier being constructed and arranged 'torlease the heldballand deliver 'the same to thellower runway at the time said 'carrierreachesits lowermos't position. f

2. In a toy o'f the class described, upper an lower inclined runways,balls on the upper runway, said .upper .runwayhaving at its low end aball barrier, a carrier, means 1mounting the carrier for `oscillatorymovement between the low end of the upper runway .and the high end ofthe lower runway, a weight for voperating said means to 'lift thecarrier, said carrier being constructed .and arranged to lift the,foremost -ball on .the upper runway over the barrier during its upwardmovement, and catch andhold said ball, the weight of the ball .held bythe carrier being sufficient -to operate lsaid means and lower thecarrier, said carrier "being constructed .and arranged to release theheld Yball and deliver the same lto thelower runway at the time saidcarrier reaches its lowermost position, anda catch constructed andarranged to 'hold .said means at vthe time xthe carrier reaches fitsylowermost position and be operated Aby a ball rollingon vthe lowerrunway to release said means.

3. 4In a toy o'f 'the class described, a frame, upper and lower inclinedlrunways on the frame, balls on the upper runway, said upper runwayhaving atits .low end a ball barrier, a horizontal-ly disposed v,barintermediately pivoted to the frame, a 'carrier .pivotally supported onone end portion of the .bar and oscillated thereby between the low endof the upper runway and the high end of the lower runway, means forlimiting the pivotal movement of the carrier relative to the bar, aweight on fthe opposite end of the bar from the carrier tfor 'operatingsaid bar to raise the carrier, said fcarrier being 'constructed andarranged to lift 'the foremost ballon the upper runway over the barrierand catch and hold the same 'back of dead center, the weight of the ballheld by the carrier lbeing suicient to operate the bar and lower 'thecarrier, said .carrier being constructed and arranged to move pivotallyand release the held ball and deliver 'the ,same to the lower runway atthe .time .said Ycarrier reaches its lowermost position, .and .a catchconstructed and arranged to hold the bar at the time the carrier reachesits lowermost position and be operated 5 by a ball rolling on the lowerrunway to release said means.

4. In a toy of the class described, a frame having the delineation of anox, an inclined upper ball runway on the back of the ox, the horns ofthe X forming continuations of said runway, the end portions of saidhorns affording a ball barrier, a lower inclined ball runway straddledby the ox and secured to the legs thereof, a horizontally disposed barintermediately pivoted to the body of the ox, a member simulating a manwith outstretched arms pivoted to the front end portion of the bar andyieldingly held in a rearwardly inclined position, said man having a capin the form of an inverted wedge, a weight on the opposite end of thebar from the man for operating the bar to lift the man and project theupper portion of said man between said horns and the cap between the twoforemost balls and lift the foremost ball over the barrier Where itdrops onto said arms and is positioned thereby back of a dead centerrelative to the pivotal support for the man, the added weight of theball on said arms operates said bar and thereby lowers the man, saidarms when the bar is in its lowermost position are slightly downwardlyinclined whereby the ball rolls past dead center and thereby tilts theman forward materially increasing the inclination of the arms and rollstherefrom into the lower runway.

5. The structure dened in claim 4 in which the tail of the ox is pivotedand provided with a tooth that holds the bar inactive when the man is inhis lowermost position, said tail being operated by a ball rolling onthe lower runway to release the bar.

6. A gravity actuated, animated toy having in combination, an upstandingframe, a scale beam fulcrumed in said frame and having a weight mountedadjacent one end thereof for swinging said beam in one direction, atrack at the top of said frame declined somewhat from the horizontal,abutment means at the lower and delivery end of said track and disposedabove the non-weighted end of said beam, a series of rolling membersadapted to be supported upon said track, a receiver member mountedadjacent the non-weighted end of said beam and having an upwardlyextending ejecting element for displacing one of said rolling membersfrom said abutment to discharge the same into said receiver member, saidreceiver member being mounted for shifting as the non-weighted end ofsaid lever swings downwardly, to discharge the received rolling member,a second track disposed below the lowermost position of said scale beamand declined somewhat from the horizontal for receiving a rolling memberdischarged by said receiver member and a latch element having a freeterminal portion disposed in the path of travel of said rolling elementsalong said last mentioned track and adapted to retain the weighted endof said scale beam in upraised position and thereafter, when moved bythe travel of one of said rolling members along said roller track, torelease said beam for gravity action due to said weight.

SIDNEY L. LONG.

REFERENCES CETED rThe following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,244,457 Bain Oct. 30, 19171,385,517 Blackburn July 26, 1921

